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Published on: November 5, 2021
Interaction of SARS and MERS Coronaviruses with the Antiviral Interferon Response
E Kindler1, V Thiel1, F Weber2
1University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Switzerland.
Abstract:
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) are the most severe coronavirus (CoV)-associated diseases in humans. The causative agents, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, are of zoonotic origin but may be transmitted to humans, causing severe and often fatal respiratory disease in their new host. The two coronaviruses are thought to encode an unusually large number of factors that allow them to thrive and replicate in the presence of efficient host defense mechanisms, especially the antiviral interferon system. Here, we review the recent progress in our understanding of the strategies that highly pathogenic coronaviruses employ to escape, dampen, or block the antiviral interferon response in human cells.
Insights
Highly pathogenic coronaviruses like SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV evade the human interferon response. This review details their strategies for replication despite host antiviral defenses.
Area of Science:
- Virology and Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) are severe human diseases caused by zoonotic coronaviruses (CoVs).
- These highly pathogenic CoVs can overcome robust host defense mechanisms, including the critical antiviral interferon system.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advancements in understanding how pathogenic coronaviruses counteract host antiviral immunity.
- To elucidate the specific strategies employed by SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV to evade or inhibit the interferon response in human cells.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent research on coronavirus pathogenesis and host-pathogen interactions.
- Analysis of molecular mechanisms by which SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV interfere with the interferon signaling pathway.
Main Results:
- Coronaviruses encode numerous factors that facilitate replication in the face of host defenses.
- Specific viral strategies target and suppress the interferon antiviral response.
Conclusions:
- Understanding these viral evasion tactics is crucial for developing effective countermeasures against SARS and MERS.
- Further research into coronavirus-interferon interactions can inform therapeutic strategies for severe respiratory infections.
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